By Obiabin Onukwugha
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), has expressed worry over new wave of oil spills in Rivers State and the Niger Delta region at large, calling for immediate action to address the trend.
According to the body, it is not surprised but deeply concerned about the recent surge in oil and gas spillages and leakages in the Niger Delta, given that host communities will not be able to seek redress in the international courts.
YEAC-Nigeria executive director, Dr. Dumnamene Fyneface, stated this in a statement made available to NatureNews in Port Harcourt, Rivers State at the weekend.
Of particular concern to the body, are the recent reported gas leakage in Bille Kingdom, Degema local government area, Kpean Community in Khana local government area, and Oshi community in Ahoada West local government areas of Rivers State,
“We have said it times without number that oil-producing communities in the Niger Delta are going to have the worst of oil pollution regimes under the Indigenous Oil Companies (IOCs) after divestments compared to the eras of Multinational Oil Companies (MOCs), not only because the divested facilities are obsolete, decaying, and prone to leakages, but also because it’s going to be an era of exploitation without redress and justice in Nigerian courts since they can’t drag the IOCs to foreign courts for justice like they were doing with the MOCs”, Fyneface said.
He said that the negligence of the Bille gas leakage by relevant authorities despite several letters and advocacy, has placed the community on a keg of gunpowder, threatening lives and properties.
“The surges in oil and gas leakages and spillages, especially those reported and ongoing in the Bille Kingdom, Degema local government area, Kpean Community in Khana local government area, and Oshi community in Ahoada West local government areas of Rivers State, among other parts of the Niger Delta, are alarming.
“As seen, ongoing, and documented, Bille Kingdom has been experiencing gas leakages from thousands of holes bubbling from the ground and on water and creeks in and around the Kingdom for over six weeks now and still counting.
“Despite several letters written by the leadership of the Kingdom, submitted to relevant authorities, including the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Ministry of Environment, and shared with YEAC-Nigeria for advocacy support, no concrete steps have been taken so far to address the issue. This negligence has placed the community on a keg of gunpowder, threatening lives and properties, as any little mistake in handling inflammable materials in and around the Kingdom this dry season will set the entire area on avoidable fire,” the YEAC-NIGERIA executive director lamented.
The Advocacy Centre condemned the lack of urgency and inaction by the authorities and operators of the facilities “for a situation that demands immediate attention, action, and joint investigation to determine the cause and stop the leakages to avoid possible loss of lives and properties.”
Fyneface stated that in the Ogoni area, the new wave of spillage and leakages has been observed in the Kpean community with a report of a new oil spillage, spewing from the wellhead at the Oil Well 14 in the Yorla Oil Field in OML 11, where a similar incident occurred a few months back. “This time, the spillage is massive, exceeding previous incidents, and has damaged water bodies, flora, and fauna, and the NNPCL, as the alleged new operator, must take responsibility and act promptly to curtail the new ongoing spillage reported to YEAC-Nigeria on December 3, 2025.
“Additionally, a new gas leakage has been reported in the Oshi Community River in Ahoada West Local Government Area of Rivers State on the same Wednesday, December 3, 2025. This adds to the growing list of new waves of oil and gas spillages and leakages contributing to ecological disasters in the Niger Delta region.
“The Advocacy Centre calls on the authorities and operators of these facilities, now bursting and deflating like balloons, to take immediate action to stop these spillages and leakages.
“We demand the replacement of obsolete pipelines, adequate compensation to affected communities according to the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021, and an end to further pollution in Rivers State and the Niger Delta.
“In the Ogoni area, it is most worrisome that new pollution is still being introduced into the fragile environment when the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), is still struggling to clean up previous environmentally devastating pollution and when the federal government is planning and bent on oil production resumption in the area. Thus, we caution against new spillages and urge oil companies to prioritize environmental protection.
“YEAC-Nigeria will continue to monitor the situations in these communities and around the Niger Delta, join the people to demand justice, and advocate for environmental protection and the rights of the people,” he stated.
